Breaking The Queensberry Rules
by Doggyrooroo
Summary: Boxing, a sport that requires rules. What happens when Nikki and Kacey get closer with the training that they do, will it ultimately lead to the biggest break up or will it be a knockout?
1. Chapter 1

**I want to say; I've had the idea of Nikki/Kacey for ages, but with college I never got around to it. But a big shout out to I-wish-upon-falling-stars and LittleBooLost; they've done similar things and it's great! Check them out! **** Anyway I hope you enjoy.**

"I'm scared every time I go into the ring, but it's how you handle it. What you have to do is plant your feet, bite down on your mouthpiece and say, 'Let's go.' " - Mike Tyson

'KACEY ON YOUR TOES, ON YOUR TOES!' I screamed out watching as the young teen circled her opponent; she looked so small compared. I stood still on the side with my arms crossed, overlooking her every move, looking to spot any mistakes although her performance seemingly faultless was going well so far. Thanks to Maggie's shakes, my vigorous training, Kacey was finally showing the great potential the PRU had promised her. End of round one; she lets the boxing glove flop to the floor, sweaty and heavy as she shakes the other girl's hand before bounding over. 'Miss, how I doing?' I handed her the cup of water, hoping to wash away any terror. She needed to stay in control, not be too aggressive, a perfect combination of attack and defence. Block, punch, Block. What was it the guys used to say Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee? Something I had quoted to her a lot. 'Good, just keep your head down, remember what I've said. You're doing well though, keep going.' I nodded, gloving her again, wearily keeping an eye on the prize. Boxing had a chance to get big in the curriculum we just needed to show that it was working.

I genuinely believed it was challenging her grief though, turning it into something constructive. I had sat there on several occasions watching as she poured her heart out; Tom had really meant a lot to her. At the beginning we hadn't gotten along a lot, she regretted seeing me; I was taking over a very important role. Now she was beginning to accept and relish the change and the challenge. It seemed like we were getting somewhere. I missed Tom too; she was one of the few people that understood her. 'Don't worry we'll make him proud.' She smiled before putting in her cheap plastic mouthpiece; it did a better job at protecting that I could do. I should have been able to save him. Once you were too close, I pulled away, when I was with Lorraine I could have spent a lot more time with him. Now I didn't have either of them. My ex-girlfriend or my best friend. Sorrow. Like with boxing you couldn't pull away when you were so close; that's where I made my mistake and quickly Kacey followed suit.

What seemed like a split-second decision, the girl's strong arm colliding with Kacey's face; a foul by any means, something taken to the extremes especially with school boxing. The blood came spilling out, the referee's whistle sounded and I jumped into action. Grabbing my student ashamed for the other teen. 'Kacey are you ok?!' I sounded like a terrified mother; I really did care about her. She grinned with her blood-stained teeth. 'Miss, I'm alright. It hurts a bit but I'll survive, I've had worse.' And immediately I'm plummeting down to earth, zero gravity reminders of all the unsolved problems with myself and issues Kacey has had to deal with, a lot of them alone, she was so brave. She had a knack of finding my sensitive side. 'Come with me.' I dragged her to the medical room, sitting her on the table. She kicked off her jumped, legs swinging freely from the table. 'I'll be alright….ahh' she groaned slightly as I held a compress to her mouth. 'It'll sting for a minute or two, there we go.' I touched her shoulder lightly. 'Yeah got that.' She mumbled.

I was reminded of the nights when I had been in here or as a child; I had issues of my own that weren't going anywhere. I remember telling Kacey the story, the way she hugged me and showed empathy, telling me everything would be alright, thanking me for helping her. The way she'd pushed herself to the limit in training to prove everyone wrong. When we had those conversations, I had forgotten she was 15, nearly 16 as she frequently reminded me. I could have turned a blind eye; I couldn't focus on anything anyway.

'Miss you ok?' Kacey asked her eyes scanning mine. Hazel and dark brown, her hair falling on her shoulders square, framing her face. The innocent look of childhood had wiped off with the sweat. It was silent for moments after….my lips pressed against hers softly, she even reciprocated the kiss. The taste of salty sweet victory, caressing mine, a little bite to my lip a reminded or the fierce feisty woman underneath the uniform. And then I was out of there, slamming the door behind me.


	2. Chapter 2

_It's less about the physical training, in the end, than it is about the mental preparation: boxing is a chess game. You have to be skilled enough and have trained hard enough to know how many different ways you can counterattack in any situation, at any moment –Jimmy Smits._

I had sat there with Miss. Boston, as she pressed the compress against my cheek. Honestly for a while it felt nice to think that someone cared about me, I wasn't used to the maternal, caring side, I was used to being pushed around and feeling worthless.

We had kissed, I wasn't really sure who initiated it; it was just something that happened. Life can through us that curve ball, I wouldn't be one to know what to do with it, especially emotionally. In the end I had only started boxing to control my anger and I ended up craving it. When Tom died and I felt like I couldn't talk to anyone about myself and who I am, she was there. I ended up wanting to prove myself to her during the training, take myself to the next level. There was something satisfying about that high five at the end of the day; as she said to be focus on the elbow and you'll never miss again. We had spent countless nights in the PRU catching up on work, figuring that mainly I was in there for my behaviour; apparently she thinks I am quite smart underneath this fiery persona.

I remember the night when I cried, cried floods of tears. I wasn't one to open up to a lot of people, I used to close myself off from the world. I remember she pressed me against her shoulder, before pulling me in for a hug, passing me a tissue and letting me hide away from the world. We'd also started 'counselling' although for the sake of my mental health she didn't call it that; just little chats. Turns out she's a bit more human than I originally thought. I could even see why Tom might have been attracted to her, the way he looked her in the eye, there had to be some sort of spark between them.

She played football like I do when she could; she used to be in the army and did boxing there. Her favourite soda is diet coke and her favourite crisps are monster munch pickled onion; you didn't expect that did you? I guess it was all part of building up the foundations so I would let her in. It worked we had some meaningful conversations. When she looked me straight in the eye; it's like she knew the inner me, scanning the inside of my mind for every little detail and emotion on my radar. When I was with her I didn't feel pressure to choose between anything, I could forget the world. I wasn't a gender confused, teenager discovering her or his sexuality and seeing the meaning of life. I wasn't the kid that couldn't do much more than sport. I wasn't a useless Barry. I was me. Kacey.

I remember when she told me about why she joined the army; being different, none of that was easy. She spent time reminiscing on the memories, slightly sadly, occasionally pausing to smile. For some reason, something I couldn't describe when she smiled it made me feel happy. When I saw the tears drip the corner of her eyes that night, I didn't know what else to do except what seemed like the obvious; like she said for me we all have to stick together. I gave her a hug and said everything would be alright; it's what she had spent time telling me. When she promised me things would get better I always had a better perspective on life, there was a pot of gold at the end of that thingamajig or rainbow and boxing was becoming the reward; a passion and a drive to succeed, who or what for I couldn't say.

So when we kissed, it seemed to me like it was all falling into place. It was soft, nothing like I imagined. Kissing a teacher, it's like barbed wire should have torn me to pieces, the ref would give a red card on that one or a foul I'd be kicked off. But nothing just this blank space where I forgot everything except the feel of her touch delicately placing against mine, I could or would have given anything to stay in that moment forever. The calm before the storm. It's like I was free to wonder, free to think and feel differently without the rules applying. But that was not the way I could stay; I needed to be punched back into reality, alone in the boxing ring.


End file.
